Annapurna’s chief content officer Sue Naegle is stepping down from her post, Variety has confirmed.
The show business veteran had served as Annapurna CEO Megan Ellison’s top content executive for nearly six years, and helped buttress the indie company through the pandemic and other periods of great uncertainty. Naegle is said to be focusing on her forthcoming slate as a producer. Some of those projects were developed and will continue at Annapurna, including the anticipated Amy Adams-led adaptation of “Nightbitch” shooting this fall.
Insiders close to the company said that Naegle departs amicably and will not be replaced, and the current leadership structure will move to absorb her duties. This includes Annapurna president Nathan Gary, chief operating officer Chris Corabi, and creative executives including Christina Oh and Adam Paulsen in film and Ali Krug and Patrick Chu in television.
An Annapurna spokesperson did not immediately provide comment on the matter. Naegle did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Naegle is an industry veteran, having worked her way up through the agency system in the TV literary department at UTA. In 2008, she was named president of entertainment at HBO, where she was credited with shepherding shows including “Game of Thrones,” “True Blood,” “Girls” and “Enlightened.” She departed HBO in 2013.
Her executive producer credits appear on many Annapurna projects, including Hulu’s “Pam & Tommy,” the short-lived horror series “Monsterland,” and the Oscar-nominated Coen brothers indie “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” She also produced the acclaimed 2020 Sundance drama “Shirley,” starring Elisabeth Moss and directed by her partner Josephine Decker.
News of Naegle’s exit was first reported by Deadline.